The soldier is likely one of two North Korean military personnel captured by Ukraine from Kursk Oblast on January 11. Though Russia has never confirmed the presence of North Korean soldiers, Ukraine has released a video showing their operatives capturing and transporting a North Korean soldier.

North Korea has not responded to reports of its troops captured or killed by Ukraine forces. It has never publicised the deployment or large shipments of North Korean artillery shells and other weapons sent to Russia to help its war against Ukraine, although they marked the country’s first intervention in a major armed conflict overseas in decades.

Hundreds of North Korean troops have been killed fighting against Ukraine over the last few months, according to South Korea ’s intelligence agency. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea said 300 of Pyongyang’s troops have been killed and another 2,700 wounded since joining Vladimir Putin’s forces last year.

North Korean soldiers did not know they were being sent to the aggressor country of russia to fight against Ukraine. They were told they were participating in

South Korean intelligence has reported that at least 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and another 2,700 wounded in the war against Ukraine. Source: South Korean news agency Yonhap Details: The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea shared this information with lawmakers during a closed session of the parliamentary intelligence committee,

National Intelligence Service says aware of battlefield situation through real-time cooperation with Security Service of Ukraine - Anadolu Ajansı

Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran on Friday that follows similar pacts with China and North Korea. All three countries are adversaries of the United States, and Russia has used its ties with them to help blunt the impact of Western sanctions and boost its war effort in Ukraine.

Weapons and notes left on dead North Korean troops in Russia give Ukraine a glimpse into their mindset — and show how they are quickly adapting to modern war.